


Gold Dust

by lovely_little_bubble



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Dark Academia, Homophobia, Homophobic Language, M/M, Religious Discussion, Religious Guilt, Religious Imagery & Symbolism
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-02
Updated: 2020-11-01
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:29:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27341242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovely_little_bubble/pseuds/lovely_little_bubble
Summary: Dark academia gays with religious trauma and homophobia.Louis attends an all boys private catholic school where he meets Niall, Liam, and Zayn, and watches a beautiful boy read.We don't read and write poetry because it's cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.N.H. Kleinbaum, Dead Poets Society.Also Gold Dust by Lemwrites217 on wattpad
Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson
Kudos: 3





	Gold Dust

**Author's Note:**

> Dark academia gays with religious trauma and homophobia.   
> Louis attends an all boys private catholic school where he meets Niall, Liam, and Zayn, and watches a beautiful boy read. 
> 
> We don't read and write poetry because it's cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.  
> N.H. Kleinbaum, Dead Poets Society.

"I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers." - L. M. Montgomery 

One month at Devine Mercy boarding school and Louis wanted to die. I was like something out of a movie, truly. The long darkened hallways-just because the school was founded in the 1850s doesn’t mean they can’t afford to add some decent lighting, the wooden furniture that was worn and soft in many places, the carpet with intricate patterns laid across the floor, the great metal door handles, the old-fashioned lock on each dorm, the massive library and dining hall-reminded him of Harry Potter if he was honest. 

One month and October was here. October with her misty mornings the lawn covered in fog, the air brisk and colder then it should be-in Louis’ opinion. 

The campus was beautiful though, he could admit that. The towering buildings, and high walls surrounding the campus, the metal gate that lead out to the town-locked except on weekends, the grand windows illuminating the classes, the artful stain glass lining the walls of the mass. However, the status that littered the campus were creepy. Really, everyone knew this was a catholic boarding school, were the hundreds of status depicting virgin mary and just about every saint to have ever existed necessary? Louis supposed that in the summer they were pretty, when the flowers were blooming and it was warm and alive. During the month he’d been here though, creepy. Who wants virgin mary watching them everyday as they walk to class? Certainly not Louis.

Not like he had a choice when it came to that, just like he didn’t have a choice about attending school, or mass each morning and evening pray, or curfew each night-yes also on the weekends. Not a lot of Louis’ life was his choice. 

Perhaps it would’ve been easier to just give in, try to enjoy it here, or at least not hate it. Louis has never been one to do things the easy way, and holding a grudge against his father-well he’d been doing that since he was thirteen, he could add sending him to this pretentious boarding school to the list of wrongs his father had done to him. 

Louis had woken up to his dorm mate Todd’s retched singing, seriously for someone who want’s to go into musical theatre he could not sing. Louis had almost liked him too, he was rather pleasant when he wasn’t butchering the greatest musicals known to man. 

Funny enough Louis had his Music for Theatre that morning. He made his way briskly down the twisted path leading from his dorm building, Gildorf, to the main building which housed the library, mass, and main dinning hall. 

They had morning mass at seven thirty each day (eight on the weekends). Unfortunately for Louis this meant waking up each morning at seven and hauling ass to get to mass on time and sitting through mass praying his stomach won’t growl during silent prayer, then meeting up with Niall to grab breakfast at the dinning hall before his first class which started promptly at eight fifty each Wednesday and Thursday. 

Shit, he was going to be late. The pathway was nearly empty, everyone else walking briskly along the path-not wanting to be that person to run. Thank god for Todd and his terrible singing which woke Louis up, the power had gone out sometime over night during the storm leaving his phone dead and no alarm to wake him up. 

Louis final climbing up the stairs leading to the main entrance, thanking the lad who held the door for him he picked up the pace going down Cinder Hall with the rest of the boys to mass. Louis managed to slip in as the Priest had everyone raise for opening prayer. He automatically responds in time with everyone else sliding into a pew at the back and glancing around ensuring no alter boy saw him come in late, little snitches they all were.

Mass passed in a dull quiet, his thoughts drowning out the voice of the Priest as he spoke of the days scripture and lesson-how they managed to always have a new scripture all year around was beyond Louis, the Bible is long but come on. 

Louis followed in line as everyone made their way out of mass, waiting out front for Niall to join him. Niall and Louis had meet during the first week, had their modern music theory class together each Tuesday and Friday afternoon. Niall was a good lad, fit and funny. He was sweet too, a people pleaser in a way Louis would never understand. Niall was also doing a focus on music, though he wanted to be a performer one day, Louis could see it happening his charm and way of capturing the attention of those around him, and damn could the man sing.

Louis’ focus in music was in hopes of becoming a music teacher on day. Wanted to teach kids about music and have them fall in love with it the same way he had as a young lad. 

“Mate, what happened?” Niall greets him, Liam tagging along beside him. 

“Lost power, phone was dead. Woke up to Todd singing and was late to mass. I am also starving,” Louis responded as the three made their way down the steps heading to one of the many tea shops that was on campus. Tea & Biscuits was Louis favorite tea shop on campus, the small one room shop, exposed brick walls with worn leather seats and slightly too small tables, the wall of different teas and the glass full of fresh pastries leaving the shop to smell a mix of black tea and blueberry muffins. 

“Think the storm did it?” Liam asked, referring to Louis power outage.

“Probably, not sure if it’s just my room or the building. Todd seemed to get up just fine, though I swear the sun could explode and he’d still wake up each morning exactly on time.” 

“Ask student resources about it,” Niall suggested as he pulled open the shop door, letting the other lads in before following behind, “now breakfast.”

“God I love fall, they have pumpkin bread and hot apple cinder,” Liam exclaimed walking over to the glass, smiling at the dark haired boy at the register. 

“Oh Payno no, that’s so basic,” Louis complained joining the boy, looking up at the Tea of the Day sign, blackberry with honey. 

“What’s wrong with pumpkin bread and apple cinder?” Liam shot back, before ordering just that from the bored looking boy behind the counter. 

“It’s so basic, might as well go to Starbucks and get a pumpkin spice latte while your at it,” 

Niall laughed and order his usual, banana bread with black tea and milk. The boy behind the counter, his name tag reading Zayn. Louis hadn’t seen him working before, must be a new hire. Louis ordered a chocolate chip muffin and the blackberry with honey tea, handing the boy his student card every boy on campus had to use to pay.

The boy, Zayn, handed them their breakfast orders and the boys left the tea shop. Usually they’d grab a seat and eat there, but it was already close to eight fifty so they made their way along the cobble stone path towards the arts and literature building. Liams first class wasn’t until nine in the science building— his focus on engineering. 

“Niall, have you done your paper for modern music theory yet?” Louis hadn’t started yet, the paper was due to following Tuesday, he still had time. 

“Yeah, finished it with Will during your football practice last Friday,” Niall responded, biting into his banana bread, crumbs dropping to the ground. 

Louis groaned, “guess I’ll be in the library all afternoon today. I also have a test in classical next Monday,” 

“I could join you?” Liam offered, “I got a Physics test I need to study for,” 

Louis shakes his head, “nah mate it’s fine. Think I gotta be alone to focus, other wise I really won’t get it done,” 

Liam nods and waves goodbye as Niall and Louis step under the overhead of the Arts building. Louis takes the last sip of his tea, it was better than he expected it to be. He’ll have to remember to get it again. 

Him and Niall part ways, Niall tossing the wrapper of his banana bread in the rubbish bin before turning down his hall. 

Louis make his way to his theatre class, towards the back of the large building. The hallways lined with religious paintings and photos of former students and administrator. Louis can hear someone tapping on piano keys, the music muted but still identifiable as one of Bach’s. Louis adjust the strap of his bag, fiddling with the zipper— a nervous tick of his. 

He approaches the open door, 18 The Study of Theatre Music scrawled beautifully above the door frame. 

Louis enters the classroom, the blinds pulled up high allowing the sun to try and warm the room. He takes a seat at his assigned desk— he thought there for sure wouldn’t be assigned seats in sixth form, he thought wrong. Mr. Harpture was very strict on alphabetical assigned seats. Mr. Harpture was in his mid fifties, tall and lanky. His face long with prominent cheek bones, his hair gone gray and wiry. He always wore suits with colorful ties. His voice was low and soothing, he spoke of his two daughters a lot in class. Louis liked him, he was a decent teacher and a genuine man. 

Class passed slowly, Louis taken down notes on each musical Mr. Harpture covered, and how their music influenced the storyline. He was assigned to pick a play— from the class list, and analysis the plot and then pick music to fit each plot point. Simple enough, Louis thought making his way out of the class and towards the library located in the arts building. 

There were two libraries on campus, the main one which was absolutely massive and the arts library which had far more fiction for the literary student and a fair amount of sheet music you could check out. Louis preferred the arts library, it was usually emptier and smaller, often had tables open and lots of seating he could read over assignments in. 

The library was pretty empty, it still being before noon, most boys had class or were doing something other than studying. The library has a specific smell to it, one of old books and secrets. Louis sinks down into one of the wooden chairs around the table, a chess board painted and worn atop the table. There’s a high stack of books, most seemingly falling apart, spines exposed and teared, pages folded and torn. Louis pulls out his notes and begins outline his essay, underlining specifics in his notes. He works quietly, faint music playing from one of the librarians old record player, Frank Sinatra today. Louis sings along quietly to himself, continuing to work. 

After he’s finished a draft he takes a break, looking around the library, stretching his neck and back. A few more kids have come in, the grand windows have been speckled with drops of water, the rain pattering softly against them. Louis shoves his notes away, wanting a break for a bit. He can only focus for so long before he goes crazy. 

He abandons his stuff, walking over to the section of the library housing a plentiful of plays. He traces along the spines looking for the play he’d picked for his theatre class, Oedipus Rex by Sophocles. Once he finds it he walks back to his bag and opens the book. He’s familiar with the play enough to not have to read it, but could use a refresher. 

Louis was about a third through the play when he caught sight of movement in the corner of his eye. He glances over noticing a tall, lean boy leaning against the book shelf, flipping through a book. Louis had seen him around before, always in the library. He was always reading. That was one of the first things Louis noticed about him. There was always a book in his hand. Pages wore and dog eared, colorful tabs sticking out between the folds of the book. It’s a wonderful thing to watch someone read, makes them seem so human. The way he licks his lips unconsciously, working his hand threw his brown curly hair, pushing glasses up the bridge of his nose as they started to slide down. It’s comforting, we are all the same when we read. 

The books changed pretty frequently, Louis had taken to noting down the title of whichever book the boy had his hands on that day. Louis was about three books behind, trying to find copies in the school library, find what was so captivating between those pages. Maybe that’s a bit weird. 

Edger Allen Poe, Oscar Wilde, Lord Byron, Homer, Virginia Woolf, Jane Austin, Victor Hugo, Emily Brontë, F. Scott Fitzgerald… 

Louis studied the boy, watching as he adds a slip of paper into the pages and flips the book close and places it back on the shelf, only to pull another book out and open that one up. He keeps his eyes on the page as he makes his way over to an empty chair, falling down into more gracefully than any boy should be capable of. 

He wasn’t obsessed with this boy. He just liked to study people, and this boy managed to be very interesting. He had dark curly hair that was a touch too long so it’d fall into his eyes, he was well build, taller than Louis—only by a few inches, had oversized hands which made each book he held seem comically small. His eyes were green, Louis had noticed that too. He also had dimples when he smiled and only wore glasses when he was reading. But Louis wasn’t obsessed with him, he was just very pretty. 

Louis allowed himself another minute to watch the boy read before turning back to his own book.


End file.
